The Light Cast by Life
by Sgt. Sporky
Summary: Ruby and Yang pay Summer a visit, and grieve. Written as something of a tribute to Monty.


It was cold. So, so cold. Everything was frozen. Everything, including Yang and Ruby. But especially the gravestone. Summer Rose's gravestone, a small thing, made of a hard rock that could weather the conditions of her clifftop resting place. Years later, and neither Ruby nor Yang had really let go. They didn't think they ever really would.

It was years later, and still, they'd sometimes find themselves crying into one another's shoulders about this loss. Still find their father lost in a photo album, just staring at pictures of her. Of them. Sometimes he'd just play with the engagement rings. They never did have the ceremony, but she was his wife no less, and his daughters knew it.

Yang was fifteen, Ruby thirteen going on fourteen. It was a Tuesday. Any other Tuesday they'd be studying at Signal, but they'd called today in almost a month ago. It was the anniversary, after all- there was no better day to pay Summer a visit.

Neither said anything, not verbally, at any rate. They didn't really need words- just the vague comforts provided by a mutual embrace. Besides, neither really had a way with words.

Ruby's tears were beginning to freeze on her cheeks. Yang's own eyes had dried long ago, not because she had no tears left, but because she was holding them back for Ruby today. She brushed the half-ice from her sweet little sister's face, and murmured the same four words she always did. "It's gonna be alright."

Never before had Ruby responded to the phrase. But today, she did. "No, it won't. It won't be alright. Mom is... Mom is dead. In what universe could that ever be okay, Yang?"

She gave the younger girl a squeeze. "It'll be okay. Just because she's gone doesn't mean we have to stop!"

"How are we supposed to keep moving? It's like... Like a gun, missing the entire trigger assembly! A vital part is just _gone, _Yang. But the difference is we can't replace Mom. No way, no how."

"Ruby..."

"Shut up, Yang."

"Little sis..."

"Yang, shut the fuck up!"

Yang fell silent in shock. Ruby so rarely swore, and never at her. This was a novel experience, to say the least. But neither her shock nor the offense she took to the command could make her stop holding her little sister. It took Ruby several minutes to speak up again.

"I... I'm sorry, Yang, I just... I know this isn't easy for you, either but I..."

"Shh. It's fine, Ruby. It's not easy, but we've gotta do it, okay? For her. I dunno, I just think she'd want us to carry on. She was the kind of person who'd rather see people happy to have know her than people sad to lose her, you know?"

Ruby muttered something in response, but Yang couldn't understand.

"Say what? Say that again, Ruby."

The younger girl spoke up. "It's something I overheard someone in your class say a while ago. 'The shadow cast by death is the result of the light cast by life, and it's better to celebrate life than mourn death.' I can't remember why he said it."

Yang shook her head. She was by no means dumb, but she wasn't quite as smart as her little sister. "Wanna dumb that down?"

"I guess it just means what you said- we're better of being happy we knew her. I mean, I'll always miss her. Don't get me wrong. But... Yeah. We should try and keep moving forward. You know, it's not that roses have thorns- thorns have roses. Or something like that. I think he ripped it out of a book. I think I get it now."

Yang sighed. Most of that was over her head. Sometimes it sucked having a genius for a little sister. She shrugged internally. She supposed it didn't matter, since Ruby finally seemed to be calming down a little. She'd gotten through.

"Yang? Let's lay the flowers and go home. We can't mope around forever, right? We're gonna be huntresses just like her."

The blond smiled. "I think she'd like that- us following in her footsteps."

Ruby smiled back. "Yeah. Is there a better way to honor a huntress' memory?"

"I don't think there is."

Together, they laid the yearly bouquet of roses on the stone, and murmured their quiet prayers and goodbyes, and turned around to go home. For once, Ruby didn't look back at the grave as they left. She'd never really "get over" this. But she'd get better. It would be better from now on, because it wasn't that roses had thorns or that light made shadows- thorns had roses, and shadows were made by light. The difference was subtle, but important.

She was going to do what her mother would have wanted- she was going to follow her dreams and live a life worth living. That was what it was all about.

_**§SS§**_

_**It's been a long time, but it grieves me to have to write another tribute. I got the news earlier today, and also the news that the RWBY team asked folks to honor Monty with creativity. I like to think that Monty would have asked for the same. So it's what I've done and what I hope you will do.**_

_**The message I'm trying to convey here is that, while I never knew Monty personally, I think he was the sort of person who would rather have his life and his work inspire others than have his death loom over them. So in his honor, let's keep doing this- being creative and letting our minds run free.**_

_**Still, it's a tragedy to lose a brilliant mind so young. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. While Monty's may never live out its potential, we should try to produce all we can with our own. With this in mind, I intend to continue to write and, if the team carries on, to keep watching, although it really won't be the same, I think. I hope you feel the same, and wish you the best of luck in all things.**_


End file.
